You’re probably excited about your first class.
You’re probably really eager to hold the dance pole, jump onto it, and do out of this world moves, spins that make you look like a careless butterfly that will surely wow anyone who sees you.
You want to get your body toned and wear that dress you’ve been wanting to flaunt.
However, despite all these positive outlooks, you’re too shy and worried about what will happen to your class.
The mixture of emotions makes you uncertain and nervous to the point that your mind keeps asking a lot of questions and you’re not getting any answers in return.
We’re here to give you information on what you should expect in your first class and as a beginner in the craft of pole dancing.
Read on to know the answers your mind keeps wondering about.
1) Going To Class
There’s no need to be shy on your first day.
The pole dancing community is very much welcoming to beginners who want to learn the craft.
It doesn’t matter what your size, age, or color is as long as you have a passion for pole dancing.
Always come in with positive energy to learn because other people will support you in your progress and thats what all this is about.
2) Expect your muscles to ache
Your muscles will surely ache a lot because of the moves you’ll be doing during the first few weeks.
This will eventually get better as your body gets used to the pressure brought about by pole dancing.
Muscle discomfort is normal, and in fact its science behind it called lactic acid buildup that helps to restore worked muscles.
This process is magical, because “yes, it hurts to do anything” but in the background, your body is recovering and building your strength and muscles.
“But I don’t like want muscles, I don’t want to have bigger arms than my boyfriend”
I get this comment a lot and its just part of the process of building strength if you are working on getting better at your pole dancing.
See, if you are not beating yourself out to be a competing pole dancer then you won’t have this issue.
You will however have fitter physic.
Here are my recommended creams for muscle aches:
3) Burns and bruises (Pole Kisses)
You can’t skip this part.
All pole dancers went through this phase where they got bruises and pole burns during the first weeks of training.
Your body will get used to it after some time so you shouldn’t worry about it.
For an instant remedy, bring soothing balms with you to relieve the pain from these minor injuries.
Fun Fact: Pole kisses is a cute way of describing bruises, and I found it that I can mentally motivate me to train harder.
Pole kisses turn a negative into a positive in my mind.
Let me know your thoughts in the comment section.
4) Grip problems
You may have a hard time gripping the dance pole during your first weeks.
You can ‘ and you should ‘ improve your grip strength to become a better pole dancer.
A strong grip will enable you to perform a lot of new moves with confidence and less fear that you’ll slip and fall onto the floor.
Grip aids are here to help and you have many variations here.
But its important to never solely rely on too much on grip aids.
You can use them if you really have sweaty palms, but you should still improve your strength regardless of your condition.
I use this grip exerciser to help with building my strength in my hands and wrists.
I also use Sneakydeez wrist protectors as a way of adding extra support to my grip.
5) Learn about choreography as early as you can
It’s alright if you’re starting with pole dancing without any background on ballet, jazz, or contemporary dance styles.
It’s preferable, though, to have a good understanding of these dances so that you can develop better choreography for your pole dancing routine.
Carefully watch your instructor while they perform on the dance pole.
Take note of their arm movements, the way they point their toes, the position of their head, and the way they look at the audience.
Begin copying them until your muscles memorize the proper movements.
This training will help you move better and create good choreography in the future.
6) Focus on yourself
Pole dancers come from different backgrounds.
Some may be professional dancers, some are martial artists, and some may be fitness practitioners looking for a way to make their training more fun and exciting.
With this, you should know that each and every pole dancer has their own strengths and weaknesses.
A fitness person may have an easier time doing inversions and climbs because of their training.
A dancer will probably be better at doing choreographies and moving gracefully compared to a martial artist.
Don’t mind how good they’re doing or mock how bad they’re struggling.
Focus on your own journey and improvement.
7) Continue training even outside your classes
Training your body outside your pole dancing classes will help accelerate your growth as a dancer.
You can continue improving your strength, balance, flexibility, and mental toughness even at the comfort of your home by doing simple yet effective exercises.
I have done serious research and user reviews on some of the highly rated stripper poles.
And here are my top recommended pole dance poles, and yes they are not exactly cheap and it’s important to never skimp on a pole.
8) Sweating and Hygiene
When you come into a pole class can be easy going and doing the basic low-intensity exercise or it can be a cardiovascular workout that can send you on the edge of exhaustion (otherwise power pole).
That said, in both situations, you’re probably going to be sweating like you never did before.
Some people discover for the first time in their life that they are able to sweat that much and it can come to a surprise to some people.
And with that known, it is important to wear the appropriate deodorant and bring a workout towel with you.
Its considered highly important for hygiene.
So whenever you attend pole class then don’t forget to bring a stick of deodorant and a towel because you are going to need it.
Beach towel can work, but are not ideal, so here are some recommendations for workout towels:
9) You’ll get stronger and more flexible
The stress you give to your muscles every time you hop on the dance pole will surely improve your strength and flexibility.
Your ability to lift your body up and do seemingly impossible moves will become second nature as your body adapts to your routine.
It will be hard at first but it’ll surely be worth every effort in the long run.
Pro tip: try doing regular stretching at home and soon enough you will be able to bend and move your body just like the pros do.
It helps massively with your pole progress.
10) Don’t be afraid to try
You may not be able to perform properly even the simplest of moves on the dance pole.
That’s okay! It’s completely normal to begin at a low proficiency level.
The important thing to focus on is your attitude to improve yourself and become a better pole dancer.
Try attending different classes.
You can even enter a mixed-level class where intermediate and beginners learn together.
The pole dancing community is very supportive to newbies who are enthusiastic to learn and grow.
Seeing how better pole dancers perform can give you an idea of the direction you want to head to.
You’ll also get hints on how to choreograph your moves so you’ll be able to concoct something suitable for your identity as a pole dancer.
11) Do the hard things
Don’t get discouraged or bored to train, especially the parts that you don’t like.
It may be planking, chair spins, or pole sit climbs which you don’t like doing.
Show enthusiasm in doing things you don’t like because you know that they’ll make you a better pole dancer.
Try playing some pole dance games with yourself and other peers.
It can bring the monotony of training hard and bring a seriously fun element into the mix.
Try it by clicking here.
12) Wear & Use proper equipment
You don’t have to spend a fortune just to get the right equipment for pole dancing.
Having a proper workout gear like sports bra, workout shorts can really make the differences from your regular everyday wear.
Brands like poledancecerka, badkitty, dragonfly sell some gorgeous yet affordable equipment and accessories that will suit your budget.
Wait for flash sales to get even bigger discounts.
Have a set of sports bras, leggings, shorts, and tops which you can wear every time you practice.
These are investments that you’ll be using for quite some time.
13) Don’t be afraid of the spinning pole
Many dancers prefer a static dance pole because it provides better control.
However, don’t be afraid to try your skills on a spinning pole.
This type of dance pole can challenge your muscle coordination and balance since you have an additional spinning factor you have to take into account in every move you make.
Besides, there are certain moves that you can do only on a spinning pole.
14) Take a break
Pole dancing requires you to always bring your A game.
However, there will be times that you won’t feel that well to train.
Take a break rather than force yourself to exercise.
This won’t do you any good and may even be the cause of injuries.
15) Warm up and cool down
Warming up before doing intense exercises is vital to preventing injuries.
Many people disregard the benefits of warm-up exercises.
They don’t know that it’s important to prepare your muscles and joints for the stress you’ll be handling later on.
Cooling down is as important as warming up.
It can help reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and any light-headedness you may feel after working out.
16) Socialize
Talk to your classmates because they will be your buddies throughout this journey.
Help each other out.
It’ll be more fun and interesting this way.
You’ll have someone to share your experiences with because you’re all going through the same thing.
I see many of my students mingle and soon after new friendships are forged and the next minute they go from nobodies into hanging out over coffee and drinks on the weekend from seeing their instagram pictures.
So always bring a positive attitude to class and you will get it back in return so much greater and it might shock you.
17) Don’t be afraid to ask your instructor
It’s quite usual to get shy to ask your instructor about lessons you’re having trouble with.
Remove this thought from your head right now because teachers will definitely want to hear from you.
They prefer to face students this way rather than have a class who don’t ask any questions at all.
If you’re feeling down, having trouble performing a trick, or struggling to improve your physical abilities, your instructor can give tips on how to resolve them.
They may share their experiences on how they managed to overcome everything to get to where they are now.
You will learn a lot from them more than what they teach in class so don’t be afraid to ask if you want to get better.
18) You’ll get more confident
As you become a better pole dancer, you’ll soon notice that you’re becoming more confident with your body.
The muscle toning and strengthening you’re getting from the exercise will start to show.
Aside from this, you’ll also be mentally healthy because you constantly release endorphins during exercise.
These substances are responsible for relieving the stress you feel every day.
Conclusion
It’s most important that when you come into pole class that you are having a great time.
You will probably be shy, insecure or nervous, but you will find that to melt away after a few classes.
So try, get out there and start getting into pole dance now and see how it transform your life.
I have seen it over and over and I would love to hear from you what benefits it has given to your life.
Additional Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole_dance
- https://www.health.com/fitness/belly-dance-workout-video
- https://www.eadt.co.uk/ea-life/las-vegas-show-girl-teaches-pole-dancing-1-5855323